


gold dust

by Freecure



Series: offset [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Existential Angst, Gen, M/M, Seemingly unrequited love, discussions of trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:53:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23384815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freecure/pseuds/Freecure
Summary: Sora takes Roxas to one of his favorite worlds.
Relationships: Roxas & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: offset [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1456678
Comments: 26
Kudos: 82





	gold dust

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Sorry this took literally-SEVEN MONTHS?! IT'S BEEN SEVEN MONTHS??? holy shit, im so fucking sorry. I bet you all forgot what happened. But not me. I've been here suffering the whole time! :D
> 
> Anyway, I'd like to add that this series was planned out in its entirety before the Re:Mind DLC was released. Because of this, some elements may not hold up to canon. The series itself isn't so different, but I don't want to change anything that I originally planned. I hope everyone understands. 
> 
> I would also like to thank my good friend, Xi, for beta'ing this work and offering their support! Please check them out on their [twitter](https://twitter.com/tzavine) and [ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tzavine/pseuds/Tzavine).
> 
> There's also a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38c4TtuGTvCPEbV34c8pJw) that you can listen to while reading! 
> 
> Lastly, I'd like to say... Writing this was extremely difficult. I stepped out of my comfort zone in some aspects. I'm very glad that it's finished. This is only the very beginning! When I look and see how far we have to go, I'm very excited. So, let's go together!

The sky was dying. A slow descent into the inevitable void of darkness, light being swallowed whole. Sora watched the last remnants of light affix themselves to their new world. They did what they could to illuminate the way, moving aside for the moon, it’s light a gentle lullaby compared to the blazing song of the sun. Violet. The sky was violet. Sora counted the stars as he saw them for what they truly were. He was kissed by a breeze as he stood on the shore. Night was coming. Sora was torn on what to do; welcome it as he normally would, or fight it, as he’d been trained to. What was the _right_ thing to do? He still didn’t know, and he'd seen the truth.

Sora blinked and half expected the scenery to change. The sky would lighten itself and the clouds would continually move. He’d look down at his hands and see—

“—home. Right, Sora?”

Oh. He wasn’t alone.

Sora turned his head slightly to the right. Kairi was there, her red hair flowing down to her shoulders again. Her brows were furrowed and her eyes had a hint of worry to them that sent a spike of panic up Sora’s spine.

“Right!” He said, though he didn’t know what he was agreeing to. He smiled, putting his energy into it, but that was all.

Kairi stared at him for a bit longer before crossing her arms. “It can be a little difficult to land at night…”

Sora openly gaped at her. He’d filled in the gaps in their conversation with a bit of quick thinking and he focused his attention on her. “Kairi, I know how to land the gummiship. What _is_ it with you and Riku thinking I can’t?”

“You almost crashed into the Mysterious Tower—”

“ _Almost!_ ” Sora insisted, an ember of annoyance burning in his chest at the unnecessary worry over his piloting skills. “I’ve been doing this _way longer_ than either of you. I’ll be fine!”

He froze. Had some anger seeped out just then? Unintentionally? He reeled himself back in, suppressing that ember until it was nothing but smoke and ash. Kairi didn’t look taken aback by his tone; perhaps it was just him.

She looked away from him and down into the sand. Her nails dug into her arms and Sora had a feeling of what was coming. Kairi and Riku were fundamentally different in how they approached things. He and Riku would talk about _some_ issues, but leave others alone. They talked freely about Ansem, about Xemnas, about Xehanort, but the time they’d spent together in a world so unlike anything they’d ever seen was left alone.

It had changed them substantially. Sora didn’t want to think about it, much less talk about it, and he suspected Riku felt the same. That, or he was waiting for Sora to bring it up.

That wasn’t going to happen.

Kairi, on the other hand, spoke her mind. She didn’t hide her feelings and fretted over the feelings of others. She understood the importance of clearing the air and getting things out into the open. It was why she bit her lip and hesitated, uncertain of whether to bring it up again. They’d talked at length about it on his return. Sora honestly didn’t mind discussing his journey to save Kairi.

 _After_ that, well… Sora was handling that as best he could.

“I know I shouldn’t worry. You can take care of yourself. I just…” Kairi looked at him, but there weren’t any tears in her eyes. There was a strength behind her stare that Sora was glad to see. “I just…want you to be okay. Riku and I _both_ do.”

Sora took a breath. He held it as his hands shook by his sides, as the world around them stopped but didn’t. An illusion of stillness filled his mind. The clouds paused in their passing, the sound of the waves ceased, the sky halted in its turning, stuck between the last sliver of light and the embrace of the dark.

Was he not doing a good enough job assuring them?

He left his short reprieve, if only in his own mind, and balled his hands into fists and made sure his smile was wide and bright. “Kairi, everything will be fine,” he told her. He reached out, palms opening as he took a step forward and hugged her to his chest. Her breezy, long-sleeved black shirt carried with it the smell and warmth of _Kairi_ , and Sora took comfort in the reality that she was home and safe.

Kairi slowly uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on Sora’s sides, returning the embrace, though much less enthused. Perhaps she saw through his words. Maybe she felt the same danger on the horizon that they all did.

But none of them _saw_ it the way Sora did.

“I know…” she whispered, her voice heavy with regret and guilt that Sora had tried to ease as best he could. “It’ll be okay.”

Kairi placed her trust in those words. Sora steeled himself as the weight he carried got that much heavier. It would be okay… He had to make sure of it.

They pulled apart and Kairi smiled. “Tell Roxas I said hey.”

Sora grinned, his enthusiasm showing on his face, in his gestures, hopefully in his eyes. “Sure! I’ll be back soon.”

He waved to her as he headed further down the beach. He entered the cove and placed his hands in the pockets of his denim capris. His smile fell now that he was alone and there was no one to keep it up for. He should’ve worn a jacket on top of his red tank top to keep warm. He didn’t want to turn around. He was close to the water now and he instinctively put his hand on his rightmost belt loop looking for his keychains. His hands found nothing. He’d left them behind.

Sora scowled, annoyed at his own forgetfulness. He’d been hoping to use his Crystal Snow keyblade to make the short journey easier and faster, but he’d have to make due with a normal blizzard spell. He summoned Kingdom Key and, with a soft murmur of the spell, the keyblade intensified his power. A rush of cold wind and swirling ice blanketed the waves, extending past the small piece of land where the gummiship awaited and stretched wider than he intended.

Sora winced. He’d gone a bit too far.

The sky moved with him as he walked upon the ice. Goosebumps peppered his arms and his teeth chattered. Sora let his frustrations show. He reignited the small fire in his chest. He wanted his expression to mirror what he _truly_ felt, if only for a moment.

And it felt _freeing_ in a way he sorely missed.

He ignored the cold and ran his hands down his face. His lips trembled as the thoughts that he’d been ignoring tumbled freely; doubts, anxieties, and frustrations that he couldn’t voice. He wouldn’t allow himself to, but for this one, brief moment, Sora let his feelings show. His shoulders slumped, he furrowed his eyebrows and he pulled at his hair.

Despite his slow pace, Sora reached the gummiship sooner than he wanted to.

He unlocked it with a quick turn of his keyblade and watched with disinterest as the ramp lowered. The first step he took onto the ship failed to activate it, as did every step after. Kingdom Key dragged along behind him, the metal tip creating small sparks along the floor. Once he neared the pilot’s chair, Sora raised his keyblade and pointed it to the window.

Kingdom Key shook in his grip, but Sora ignored it. He closed his eyes and thought of Twilight Town, of sea-salt ice cream, and memories that weren’t his. He thought of Hayner, Pence, and Olette. He thought of the clocktower and how it’d played such an instrumental role in so many lives. How the simple things in life were the most treasured. The things people took for granted.

He thought about how it felt to have all of those things snatched away.

The gate appeared after a moment, a swirling vortex of blue and green that was hidden amongst the clouds and nightfall. Sora sat down in the chair. He dropped his keyblade and it dispersed into light. The fuel gauge didn’t move, and so he sat in the cold darkness.

He lost track of time. His eyes, careless and despondent, stared unseeingly at the console of the ship. He cleared his mind and forced himself to exist in the moment as he took in nothing but the natural sounds of the world. Something caught his eye and he looked up out of the large window to the heavens.

The stars always looked so miniscule but a world was there, hidden in that light. Tiny dots that—Sora blinked, one thought interrupting the silence that his mind had taken comfort in.

Roxas was waiting for him. They had plans, and Sora was sitting in the dark of the gummiship wasting time.

He head thunked back against the chair as he closed his eyes and pushed himself to think of something that could get the ship moving.

The wistful thought of simplicity came again, but applied to his own life. Back when the only world he, Riku and Kairi knew about was the islands, when the secret place was nothing more than an odd area that they claimed for their own, when magic was nothing but their imaginations and the exciting stories they could come up with.

In the summer, they ate snow cones on the way home from school. They took shelter under the shade of the trees on the play island, dipping their feet into the spring that the waterfall created. They sought comfort in each other, looked out for one another, became close friends as the sun set and the stars began their song.

Why couldn’t the sky look as magnificent as it did back then?

That didn’t work, if anything, it only worsened his mood. Sora rubbed at his forehead and thought instead of the smiles of his friends. He had felt each of their hearts, and that warmth and faith was a comfort in times like this, when everything he buried got to him. It was enough to envision their smiling faces, thinking back on their time together. The gummiship felt his happiness and came to life with a loud start and spark of light.

Sora wasted no time in shifting into gear. The gummiship rose jitteringly into the air and he flew toward the gate. He drove through it quickly, taking one last look at the night of Destiny Islands.

The sky was dying.

Violet had given way to bruised indigo, and as the colors blended together, they reached ever closer to the finality of darkness. But then, within that darkness, it would give way to light. It was a cycle, just as everything was a cycle. Life, death, rebirth, and Sora had seen every stage of it. He’d completed it time and time again and what was there left to see? What was there left to understand when he’d seen the answer to the question sitting in the back of every mind?

Sora had seen the deepest darkness and the brightest light and he didn’t want to see anything else. He wanted the expectation and the responsibility to fade. He wished for ignorance, he prayed for innocence, he yearned for peace.

But it wouldn’t come because there would always be darkness and light. Neither of them were evil in their own right, but there were hearts who would use the opposing forces for their own gain. And as the hero of the keyblade, strong, capable, and terrific now that he’d gotten the world saving down to a mastery, he would have to fight them. Again and again, he’d have to risk life and limb, tear himself to pieces to right wrongs that he didn’t cause.

Such a hauntingly beautiful sight should move him to tears, but it didn’t. The light would change and shift into darkness and then be reilluminated. The magnificence of nature was now lost on him. He remembered the day he’d died and how beautiful the sky had looked.

The sun had set and took with it the last bit of hope from Sora’s eyes.

The needle of the fuel gauge was just one tick above empty. Sora ignored it. He kept his eyes on the path in front of him.

The ship sputtered to a stop once he reached the clearing in Twilight Town. It seemed all too ready to turn off since it’d been running on fumes. Sora let go of the controls and sat back in his chair. He’d had some turbulence upon entry that was a pain to deal with. He narrowed his eyes as he glared at the buttons on the console. His hands were shaking and Sora told himself it was nerves.

But there was more to it than that and he knew it.

Sora forced himself to stand and exit the ship. He pressed the button on the side that opened the large door and lowered the ramp. A gust of wind slapped him in the face. It carried the scent of rain and thunder. Sora looked upward and narrowed his eyes at the large number of gloomy, thunderous clouds. Lightning streaked through them, a constant instead of an unpredictable force. It arched and flitted along the grey clouds. Thunder sounded somewhere far off into the distance, but it felt so close.

Unstable electric currents tangled and twisted together just overhead. Sora could feel their power with his grasp on elemental magic. He reached out a hand and small ribbons of static gold twirled along his fingertips. Rain, wind, then lightning… Sora narrowed his eyes.

He hadn’t expected the imbalance to cause such an effect.

Sora tore his eyes away from the clouds, but the danger tickled his senses. He carefully placed his hands in his pockets and did his best to ignore the raging lightning storm. He pushed ahead, one foot in front of the other down the ramp and onto the dry grass. The wind wasn’t as strong as when he last visited, but it still billowed recklessly. He _heavily_ regretted forgetting his jacket. He kept his head down, avoiding brittle flowers and patches of dirt. His right hand twitched, aching for his keyblade. Sora balled his hands into fists and continued on.

The path leading to the mansion was long and usually with the immutable weather, a beautiful view. The yellow-orange of the sky would cast the forest, mansion, and the entire world in a dreamlike haze of dusk. The wind would carry the smells of the town. The sun’s rays would eternally pass through the branches of the trees in just the right way. Sora missed that tranquility.

A few yards ahead of him, Sora saw a figure leaning against a tree, arms crossed and head bowed. Sora’s heart told him who it was before his eyes could. Standing beneath a tree wasn’t the safest place to be in a lightning storm, but Sora joined Roxas underneath the dark green boughs nonetheless. Roxas lifted his head at Sora’s approach and they smiled at each other.

“Hi!” Sora greeted, waving his hand quickly before hiding it in the pocket of his capris. There, it could shake as much as it wanted.

Roxas pushed off of the tree and his eyes softened, but reflected in soft summer skies were the twisting bolts that hovered over them. Sora’s breath caught in his throat.

“Hi,” Roxas said. He uncrossed his arms and hooked his thumbs in two of the belt loops of his pants. He waited a moment before speaking again, his left eyebrow raised in surprise. “What, no hug?”

“Oh! Sorry,” Sora apologized. He’d gotten turned around due to the strange weather. He opened his arms and wasted no time in moving closer to embrace Roxas. Sora hugged him tightly, arms fisting into the back of his shirt. He smelled something citrusy, like orange blossoms. The fragrance stirred memories that Sora had long forgotten; rows and rows of orange trees with the skyline in the distance. Roxas returned the embrace with a strong squeeze that made Sora laugh.

“You smell nice,” Sora complimented. He pulled back, but on the way he took Roxas’ hands in his own. Compared to Sora, Roxas was dressed more formally. He wore a grey button down pinstripe shirt, dark, slim jeans without any rips or tears, grey and black sneakers to match his shirt, and his emblem necklace hung loosely around his neck.

Sora grinned, wondering why the change in style considering they were just going world hopping, but he appreciated it anyway. “You look nice, too!”

Roxas’ gaze fell and he squeezed Sora’s hands. “Thanks…” he said, his voice measured but softer than it had been previously. “So do you.”

Sora snorted. “Thanks. I forgot to wear a jacket.”

With a laugh of his own, Roxas lifted his gaze, his expression one of fond exasperation. He nodded his head back toward the mansion. “Do you want one of mine?”

“No, it’s okay,” Sora replied quickly, not wanting to inconvenience him. “I’ll be—”

Thunder rumbled through the air and a lightning bolt followed, piercing the sky with a bright flash of light. Sora jumped, unintentionally squeezing Roxas’ hands as he was startled.

Roxas steadied him and Sora wasn’t at all surprised to find that his expression hadn’t changed. Calm and collected, Roxas was unafraid of the unceasing storm. “You okay?”

“Yeah…” Sora said shakily. He pulled away and looked toward the sky. The lightning continued to weave through the clouds like a serpent.

“It’s been like this for two days,” Roxas informed him. He pocketed his hands now that Sora had let go of them. “We should go before it gets worse.”

Sora nodded but kept his thoughts to himself. The shifting clouds that hung in the sky… They looked like darkness, almost.

“Yeah…okay.” Sora took a few steps back and turned toward the gummiship. Roxas easily fell into step beside him.

They walked the worn path toward the clearing. Sora tripped over a stray stick and bumped into Roxas’ right side. Roxas sidestepped a bit, before coming back and nudging Sora in return, making him laugh. The tension in the air brought forth by the lightning storm gradually faded and Sora and Roxas dissolved into laughter as Roxas was almost sent staggering into a tree.

“Where are you taking me, you dork?” He asked, trying to trip Sora in revenge and _continually_ failing. Sora slung an arm over Roxas’ shoulder and drew him in close, laughing when Roxas tried once more to trip him up with his sneaker.

“It’s a surprise!” Sora told him.

Roxas gave him a look. “ _Hm_.”

“No worries!” Sora said. He let Roxas go once they reached the gummiship. He hadn’t bothered to pull up the ramp or lock it since he was just picking Roxas up. “You’ll love it. It’s one of your favorite worlds.”

“ _Hmmm_ ,” Roxas repeated, sounding unsure but looking anything but. His eyes were alit with excitement and Sora could so clearly see the enthusiasm on his face despite how hard he tried to hide it.

That, and as soon as Roxas stepped inside the gummiship, it activated. Sora laughed on his way inside. His own mood took a turn for the better as he rekindled his determination to show Roxas a good time.

They landed at the top of Rainbow Falls. Surrounding the ship was a small grove of tropical trees with long leaves that swayed back and forth to the breeze. There were bushes and shrubbery where all manner of flowers bloomed, covering the light patches of sand with feeble vines and sticks. And to punctuate their arrival in such a fantastically magical world, the waterfalls just ahead of them powerfully carried the water into the rivers below. Fireflies stirred around the grass and near the rocks of the river. Night had settled upon the world, the sky a mesmerizing midnight black.

It was beautiful.

Sora and Roxas took a moment to enjoy it, blue eyes scanning every inch of the falls, heads moving back and forth as they breathed in that scent of _wonder_ that could only be found in Neverland.

“Wow,” Roxas gasped, a laugh following his words. He stepped away from the ship and moved toward the rushing water. “It’s…been a while.”

Sora came to stand beside him, staring into the depths. He caught sight of his reflection and quickly looked away. “It has,” Sora agreed, turning to look at Roxas with a smile. “I remember you saying you liked flying!”

Roxas glanced at him and then away, putting his hands in his pockets. He kicked a rock into the river and watched it follow the current down the sweeping waters, over the cliff, and deep into the water below. “Yeah, it was fun.”

Sora didn’t know why Roxas was acting shy when they’d shared each other’s memories. Sora knew _exactly_ how much fun Roxas had when flying for the first time, just like Roxas knew how excited he’d been when _he_ flew for the first time. He moved closer to his friend, bumping him in the back and almost causing him to fall into the river. _That_ would’ve been funny, but unwelcome for their outing. It wasn’t anything a quick aero couldn’t fix, though.

Anyway, back to the flying thing.

“So, I was thinking,” Sora began, walking behind Roxas with his arms folded behind his back. He looked casually innocent as he took his time speaking. “You flew, sure, but you didn’t get to fly _everywhere_.”

Curiously, Roxas looked at him. “You know I couldn’t fly everywhere. After my missions, I had to—”

“No, wait,” Sora chuckled, holding up his hands to interrupt Roxas. He hadn’t worded that right. “I meant, there’s a place you didn’t get to fly and I’m going to take you there.”

Roxas blinked, surprised. Behind them, more stars seemed to appear out of nowhere. The serene light of the moon caressed Roxas’ face with gentle fingers, covering his features in a soft glow. His eyes shined with anticipation and subtle confusion.

Sora smiled as he observed it. Just as he had with the beauty of Neverland, he calmly took it in. It was nice to see Roxas experiencing more emotions beside the heartache and agony that burned in his memories. He deserved this. He deserved curiosity and comfortable conversation.

“Okay,” Roxas said, a half-smile resting on his lips. “But I can’t fly without pixie dust. You got any idea where Tinkerbell or Peter Pan could be?”

 _That_ was the easiest part. Sora placed a hand over his heart and grinned proudly. “They’re just a thought and a feeling away, Rox.”

Roxas crossed his arms, impressed. “Isn’t that handy.”

“Yup!”

The process was the same whether he held an object linked to their connection or not. Sora pictured the person he wanted to see and called on their bond. He thought of their first meeting, their experiences, their tribulations, and gathered those feelings into one perfect ball of longing.

In battle, he’d wish for help. He’d cry out for them in the midst of brawls with Heartless and Nobodies alike. He’d call, and they’d answer, drawing forth on that connection, crossing the ocean between to appear at his side.

This time, there was no battle to fight and win. It was less dire, which meant Sora smiled as he placed his hand over his heart. He pictured pirate ships, sword fights, and recalled promises made between friends. Sora called on the keyblade, combining magic with emotion. He held the blade upwards and spun it in front of him with both hands. With the point of the blade facing the sky, Sora turned it, creating a pathway for them to follow.

 _I miss you_ , he thought, their connection reverberating through the metal of the keyblade, through stars and streams and everything in between. _I want to see you!_

And with a flash of light that began from the top of Kingdom Key and spread downwards, he felt a response. The journey was shorter this time, but they made it all the same. Tinkerbell appeared before them in a splash of pixie dust and light and she twirled around, looking first at Sora and then to Roxas. She took in her surroundings with a quick zip around the falls, and then settled in front of Sora’s face, her small hand poking at his nose.

“Hey, Tinkerbell!” Sora greeted, blinking a few times to get adjusted to the brightness surrounding her person. “It’s good to see you!”

The sound of ringing bells was all Sora got in response, but Tinkerbell didn’t seem mad at the sudden summoning. She seemed curious, looking about for Heartless or other enemies. She twirled around Sora’s head, sprinkling him with a helping of healing pixie dust that he didn’t need.

“Aw, thanks, but that’s not why I called you,” Sora said, turning his head to keep track of Tinkerbell’s movements. That was nearly impossible. Sora could only follow the trails of dust left behind. She was over by Roxas now, pulling on strands of his hair and getting _very_ close to his face.

“Uh…” Roxas said nervously, taking a step back. “You remember me, right? Roxas? I was wearing a long, black coat before. There was a guy with red hair with me once?”

Tinkerbell said something they couldn’t discern. She flew about, as if confused by Roxas and his presence. Sora couldn’t figure out why, considering they met before, but without Peter Pan, it would just be a guessing game for them.

Sora walked over to Roxas, interrupting their one-sided conversation. He cleared his throat and Tinkerbell focused on him. She flew around his head and settled within his sight, a bit farther from his face so he could see her properly.

“The reason I called you was because Roxas here needs some pixie dust!” Sora said, placing his hand on Roxas’ shoulder. “We wanted to do some flying together.”

Tinkerbell gaped at him and crossed her arms. She flew close to his face again, and Sora took a step back, immediately on the defensive from this small, angry fairy. The sound of rapidly ringing bells alerted him to her displeasure, and Sora smiled sheepishly. It wasn’t hard to figure out _why_ she was mad.

“Look, I’m sorry for summoning you _just_ for this okay? But—” Sora stopped talking. His eyebrows furrowed as he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the thicket of trees behind them. Quickly, he turned around, crouching low. Tinkerbell moved to his left, ready to offer her support. He felt Roxas to his left, a composed presence with an undercurrent of strength waiting to be unleashed.

Heartless poured out of the underbrush, drawn to their keyblades as they always were. There were about five Shadows that Sora could make out, some Air Pirates that flew out from the treetops, and more Heartless Pirates, swinging their large blades to slice through the branches in their path.

Then, behind them all, two large Emerald Serenade’s made their grand entrance by parting the trees. They wouldn’t attack; they never did, they only moved around the area in a path, their large and imposing presence only adding to the overall nuisance of the Heartless.

In total, about fourteen. Not too bad. It was made even better when Roxas outstretched a hand, five pillars of furious light striking the Shadows down where they hid. Sora blinked, turning his head to look at him.

Roxas looked _livid_. His hand shook as he returned it to his side. His face was twisted in angry exasperation, his frown deep and frustrated. When he caught Sora’s eyes, his expression mellowed out somewhat. “I’ll take care of the Emerald’s,” he said, calling Oathkeeper to his hand after a moment.

“You sure?” Sora asked, aware of the incoming Heartless but wanting to make sure they were on the same page. It was crucial in battle. “Magic is their weakness, so maybe I should…?”

Roxas plunged Oathkeeper into the dirt. He looked more amused than frustrated now. “Are you saying you don’t think I can handle them?”

“No! That’s _not_ what I’m saying.”

“I gave you my memories. Didn’t you see the amount of times I had to hunt these guys down?”

Sora grumbled, crossing his arms. He felt Tinkerbell tugging at a spike of his hair. “I was just trying to be considerate!”

With a laugh, Roxas leaned forward and flicked Sora’s nose. “Appreciated. But I’ll be done before you.”

Sora’s eyes widened and then he grinned, a spark of challenge in his eyes. “You’re _on_.”

Roxas took a few steps back, lifted his head, and smirked. “Behind you,” he warned, before he disappeared in a flash of pure light.

Kingdom Key appeared in his right hand and he whirled around quickly to block the sword of the Heartless Pirate trying to get the drop on him. It didn’t take much to overpower him, and once his guard was broken, it only took an upward swing of his blade to send another heart skyward.

Tinkerbell sprinkled a helping of healing dust over him after the ordeal.

Sora smiled at her in thanks before gasping. “Tink, could you go help Roxas?” He asked, berating himself for not thinking of it sooner. “He doesn’t know any healing magic and I doubt that he’d get hurt but...just in case! Please!”

Tinkerbell seemed touched by his concern. She nodded and with a fast fluttering of her wings, she was off, following the trail of light Roxas had left.

The remaining Heartless surrounded Sora, their swords raised. The Air Pirates circled him from above. The three of them dived toward him one after the other, but Sora wasn’t afraid. He could take care of them with three spells and be done before Roxas.

Sora slammed Kingdom Key into the ground and from the metal tip of the blade came a vortex of air magic. The Aeroga swept all of his enemies high into the air, but Sora stood strong in the midst of the whirlwind, fingers held tight on the grip of his keyblade. His tank top wiped about him wildly, and the air distrubed his hair at a quick pace, but he forced himself to look up.

As the winds calmed, Sora raised Kingdom Key high and aimed it toward the seven heartless that still had some fight left in them. “Magnega!” He called, and watched with satisfaction as his adversaries got better acquainted with one another with the sudden pull of strong gravitational magic.

One last spell and it was Sora’s favorite. With both hands gripping his blade, his feet firmly planted on the ground, and the last winds of Aeroga fading away, he braced himself for the intense heat of _Firaga_. The blast erupted from his blade, the magic tingling at his fingertips.

The large ball of flame caught the Heartless in its embrace just as the Magnega spell wore off. An ensemble of seven hearts floated up, up, and away. Sora watched them go, a sadness in his heart that he wished wasn’t there.

A loud blast from his right caught his attention. A wide column of light fell from the clouds, illuminating the falls, the surrounding cliffs, and the trees in a bright glare. With the sudden rush of wind came small flickers of light. They pinched Sora’s arms and shoulders, a static that wouldn’t leave until he rubbed at his arms with his hands. He looked at the river and jumped onto the rocks to pass to the other side. He needed to find Roxas.

Sora worried, though there was nothing to worry about. The danger they were facing was _nothing_ compared to a war with powerful adversaries who controlled both Heartless and Nobodies. It was manageable. _Laughable_. But the last time he’d been blindly complacent, seven people had died.

He didn’t like to think about it, but when he was alone and the air was absent of conversation and distraction, his thoughts drifted to that day. He toiled over what he could’ve done differently. What they _all_ could’ve done. He remembered…their hearts. He remembered a deep, impenetrable darkness. Haunting, uncaring eyes. Bright hearts being taken, _stolen_ from their rightful place. Traveling, jumping, his own heart being covered in a shroud as Sora fell as far as he could go. Even if everything turned out alright in the end. Even if everyone was saved and the World was right again…

Sora still had to carry the weight and damage of his memories. He didn’t mind carrying hurt, but there was a limit to that strength.

Again, he heard it, a burst of sound that echoed through the trees. Sora looked up and saw the remnants of a graceful darkness returning from whence it came. The feeling of such powerful darkness unnerved him, but just as with Riku, there was an equanimity to it.

Sora followed that feeling dutifully, letting it guide him through the trees and branches. As he drew near, the feeling settled. Sora stepped out from behind a tree and his worry ceased upon seeing Roxas safe and well.

Roxas stood with his head raised to the sky. He was watching something that Sora couldn’t see. Tinkerbell sat on his head, a tiny ball of light from this distance. Oathkeeper and Oblivion were already gone from Roxas’ hands. Sora wondered if he’d needed to use them at all.

“Roxas!” Sora called, stepping onto the lush grass. He was still rubbing his arms though the light had left a bit ago. Roxas could take care of himself and Tinkerbell was beside him, but that didn’t stop Sora from looking him over for injuries of any kind. There wasn’t so much as a hair out of place on Roxas’ person. Sora knew he looked a bit frazzled from his aero spell, but Roxas looked the same as he had back in Twilight Town.

Roxas turned to him with a smile. “Hey,” he greeted, and then frowned a bit. “Wait, I lost?”

“Huh?”

“Our race.”

“Oh!” Sora said, a smile blooming on his face. “Yeah, I won!”

_“Lame.”_

Sora stepped over and slapped a hand on Roxas’ back in a show of good sportsmanship. He unintentionally disturbed Tinkerbell from her spot on Roxas’ head and she flew away, giving them some space. “Don’t be a sore loser, Rox. I just have more experience!”

Roxas hunched over with a grimace, but it didn’t last. “You only won because you used magic. I saw the aero spell from here.”

“It’s useful!”

“You and Riku rely on it too much,” said Roxas with a roll of his eyes.

“Nothin’ wrong with having magic in your arsenal,” Sora chided. He nudged Roxas in the side. “I could give you some lessons if you wanted.”

Strangely, Roxas froze up. He put some space between them, which Sora respected. “Thanks for the offer,” Roxas muttered, looking down at his feet, “but I think I’m good for now.”

Odd. Sora tilted his head, confused. “Okay…”

Tinkerbell floated down between them. With a touch to Sora’s forehead, she lightly dusted him. Again, she didn’t heal anything, but Sora was grateful regardless. “Thanks for helping Roxas out, Tinkerbell.”

“Yeah. We make a good team,” Roxas said, and Tinkerbell turned her attention to him. He held up his right index finger and presented it to her for a mini high five.

Tinkerbell soaked up their praise with a smile, clapping her hands in glee and spinning into the air with a joyful twirl. She took to the sky above them, a bright light against the hushed night. Her voice rang daintily sweet in a cheerful chime, and from her wings fell pixie dust.

Sora held out his hands as it cascaded down from her small form. The dust gathered in his palms. With a smile that held a solemn sentimentality, he turned his hands and watched as the golden motes fell to the earth below. Sora looked at Roxas and found himself appreciating the expression he wore. The dust fell softly along his face and cheeks, getting caught in his hair and brightening it. He was gazing up at Tinkerbell as she happily spun above them.

Roxas’ smile was brightened with dust and Sora felt his thoughts turn from the past back to the present.

Tinkerbell joined them again with a final twirl and a pat to Sora’s nose. She looked happy, which was a far cry from how angry she’d been before. Flattery seemed to work _wonders_ with Tinkerbell.

“Thanks a lot!” Sora told her. “Sorry again for taking you away so suddenly. Hopefully Peter Pan isn’t missing you too much.”

Tinkerbell jumped with surprise. It appeared as if she’d forgotten about Peter Pan for a moment. She gave them the courtesy of a small wave before circling around both their heads and taking off over the trees. She was a shooting star, cutting through the darkness with her glow and light.

“Wow,” Roxas said, brushing some pixie dust off his nose. “She barely said goodbye.”

“I don’t think she likes to be away from Peter Pan for too long.” Sora looked up at the late night sky, watching as the worlds slowly revealed themselves. Among their vast number, one shined brighter. It wasn’t an entirely separate world, but a connected one. It glimmered a pretty blue.

Sora turned to Roxas. “You remember how to fly, right?”

Roxas scoffed. “As if I could forget.” He closed his eyes and after a few seconds, he slowly began to float. He wobbled as he gained air, his hands scrambling for something to latch onto.

Sora took his hand then, barely containing his laughter as Roxas tried to keep upright. “You’re so out of practice.”

“Shut up,” Roxas mumbled, embarrassed. He placed his other hand on Sora’s shoulder to steady himself.

Sora reached up and took that hand, too. He’d expected this. It took some time to relearn how to fly. Luckily for Roxas, Sora was there to serve as a guide.

It took happy thoughts to fly, just like the gummiship. Why did so many things require joy in order to function? The thought perturbed him, but just as with all the other thoughts that threatened to drag him deeper into a hole he wouldn’t be able to climb out of, he put it aside. Sora needed a thought to spur him into flight, and the mere idea of trying to figure something out exhausted him. But when he looked at Roxas, he remembered his very first journey and all that he experienced.

It was tough. Despite all the wonderful people he met and amazing things he saw, it was difficult. His two best friends were lost to him. He had to shove down his doubts and fears and push forward. That’s when it started and it hadn’t stopped. But he thought about Roxas being able to fly again, Naminé practicing magic, Xion and Lea living and being able _to_ live. He thought about Kairi being safe at home and Riku being able to travel and make new friends. Ven, Terra and Aqua being able to _be_ together for the first time in ten years.

It was okay. Even though he knew that it wasn’t, it was okay. At this moment, at this _time_ , it was okay. He thought about everyone being happy.

That was the best thought he could think of.

Sora took to the air slowly. He held Roxas’ hands as the night fell around them, subdued and cool. “You’ll be alright,” Sora told him. He gently led Roxas higher and higher, holding onto that thought and letting it steer him upward above the trees. “I've got you.”

Roxas laughed breezily but held onto Sora for dear life. “So, where are we going?”

Sora cast his gaze to that star, the blue one, right next to the other that appeared larger than most. “There,” he said, a slow building excitement filling his voice. “To the mainland.”

They flew through the darkening sky hand in hand. They flew until Neverland was a shrinking speck behind them. They were star chasers, leaving dust in their wake as they tried to obtain the unobtainable. It was during their slow ascent that Roxas began to get the hang of things. His arms were outstretched, legs and feet together, mouth closed but eyes wide open to see every sight and every view.

Sora did a few tricks to show off; spins, flips, some backwards flying that he mastered in Hollow— _Radiant Garden_. Roxas rolled his eyes every time and smacked Sora’s foot when he came close, making him lose balance.

But it was _freeing_. Up in the clouds, among the stardust and moon, there was nothing to be afraid of. Hundreds of feet in the air, Sora felt more comfortable than ever before. There was nothing but the two of them and the pleasantness of the sky. Nothing but nature and the elements.

Below, there was truth. Below, there was duty. Up here, all of his worries settled to the back of his mind as he focused only on what was in front of him and whose hand he was holding. The wind kissed his face and excitement swirled in his stomach. What he would give to feel this weightlessness all the time.

Sora recalled a time when he once did. Only a few years ago, but it felt like an eternity. He closed his eyes against the chilly air of the clouds. If he gave it too much thought, he’d go tumbling into the ocean below. He had to focus on the moment.

And it was in the moment that he felt it, a shift in the air. It was like flying through an invisible gateway. When he opened his eyes and looked down, he finally noticed the array of buildings and towers below.

They’d made it. They were in the mainland.

 _“Wow,”_ Roxas breathed to his left, over the chilled winds and the distant sound of a train horn. Sora turned his head away from the sights he’d seen before to the expression he wanted to remember. Roxas’ eyes were open wide, looking below him at the buildings washed with night and the golden lights shining out from window panes.

Sora cherished that sense of awe in Roxas’ eyes. “It’s great, right?”

Roxas grinned. “Yeah. Much better up close than through memories.”

As they dipped below the clouds, closer to the sleeping city and the smoke billowing out from chimneys, Sora wondered if that spark was absent from his own eyes. They were _flying_ , something so surreal and imaginative that it garnered disbelief when told after the fact. And yet...Sora had done so many unbelievable things. In the few years he’d spent away from home, his entire sense of the impossible had changed. He’d be more surprised if there was something he _couldn’t_ do, either with magic or with the keyblade.

Roxas knew about all of those things, too. He could _do_ all of those things, and despite the abilities and magic they were capable of, _this view_ overtop the buildings filled Roxas with an amazement that was so weighed down for Sora. Roxas, who had his own sufferings and burdens in his heart, could still see the magic in the World, and yet it was so difficult for Sora to.

“Come on,” Sora said, tugging lightly on Roxas’ hand. They needed to veer to the right to reach their destination. It stood at the heart of the city, a glowing bright beacon that caught every eye and rang in every ear with a chorus of the hour. The clocktower stood as tall and proud as Sora remembered.

Roxas audibly gasped, a fond laugh following. “The clocktower…”

“Yup. Thought you’d want to see it for yourself. The view is _amazing_.”

It was near the top of the hour as they floated through the air toward the clocktower. They stopped right in front of the clock face. Roxas seemed impressed at seeing the clock up close, but then Sora tugged on his hand again, and Roxas turned to see the city in its entirety. Roxas looked ethereal from the pixie dust and the clocktower’s glow. It coated his back and person in a charming way. _This_ is what he wanted to do, to share something magical with someone important to him. Roxas looked happy, mesmerized by how beautiful worlds could be, how each one carried a special kind of magic that couldn’t be accurately described.

Gently, Sora led him higher, high enough to see everything. High enough that he felt if he really tried, he could reach out and touch the full moon hanging in the sky. Hand in hand, they lingered as they took in every aspect of it. The mysticism rubbed off on them, the magic in the air a near tangible thing. A large bridge was visible in the distance, with a long river flowing underneath it. The water shimmered from the reflection of the stars high above. Beautiful. Just as beautiful as when Sora first saw it.

Sora remembered flying here with Donald and Goofy. Donald would often get turned around in the flying process and Goofy would stay behind to right him. Sora would laugh all the while, and Donald would get angry, and…

It was so simple before.

It was simple back when he was ignorant, when he thought that once he found Kairi and Riku, the three of them would return home. It was simple when he thought his journey would have an _end_. It was simple when he didn’t know the extent of the keyblade’s power and the heavy responsibility he’d accidentally been given.

One journey inevitably led to another, and another, and another, and _another_. Sora knew now it would never end.

Thinking back on that first journey was more bitter than sweet. There had still been fascination in his eyes. There’d been truth in his smile. He’d taken genuine joy in seeing the different worlds and the people that inhabited them, but that was because he felt that it would come to an end. Adventures were fun, _enjoyable_ , even, when an end was in sight, when there was time to go home and return to normalcy.

Sora could return to normalcy now, but _he_ wasn’t normal. He wasn’t the same person, and it wasn’t like a new fixation or subtle change in style or interests; his _heart and soul_ had changed. He wasn’t the same as back then. He’d seen things he wished he hadn’t and knew things he wished he didn’t.

With every journey to a new world, there were drawbacks. There was danger with the keyblade in hand. Enemies were never far behind, entranced by metal and light. The world order was a fragile thing that brought confusion and lies and manipulation. There were always problems to solve, wrongs to right, and people to save. There was no such thing as a peaceful world. There was no visit that was uneventful. There would always be fighting and war and for _once_ , Sora wished he could save the World and it would _stay_ saved.

He was so tired. He felt it in his bones, in the fatigue in his limbs and in the frustration in his smile. He couldn’t enjoy these moments of peace when he knew that something was coming. He couldn’t enjoy the joy in Roxas’ smile when he knew it was only a matter of time before those lips turned down into that same expression of stormy rage he’d seen before. Peace was fleeting, and that truth sat heavily on Sora’s shoulders.

Far in the distance, the stars looked as if they were fading away. Dread seized Sora’s heart; was it happening already? Was it starting now? But then he heard the sound of the wind. It rushed past his ears and he felt himself _moving_. The hold he had on Roxas’ hand began to loosen. Gravity was pulling Sora further and further away, and their fingers were slipping apart. Roxas jerked his head in Sora’s direction, clearly confused.

Roxas was fine, floating gently on the wind and dust, but Sora…

Sora was falling.

Eyes wide with shock, Sora hesitated in securing the hold he had on Roxas’ hand. Their hands fell apart violently as a result, and he descended faster now without a connection.

“Sora!” Roxas shouted breathlessly, his hand outstretched. Roxas’ golden hair was a beacon in the dark, even as everything around Sora became progressively darker, it sweetened the terror of night with one last beam of hope.

Sora was a falling star. Particles of heartbreak and despair followed behind him in a wave of heartbroken stardust. Sora watched them, his hand still held out toward Roxas. The wind surged past him. The light left him. The darkness waited. Sora’s bottom lip trembled, his fingers shook, his soul rattled in his body. He’d lost his faith, his trust, and all that was left was to fall.

Frustrated, he closed his eyes. He didn’t want to see the hurt look on Roxas’ face. His façade had fallen and now… Now he couldn’t stop thinking, couldn’t stop wishing that the past could be changed. He covered his eyes with his hands, gritting his teeth together as tears joined with the dust to powder the sky.

Why couldn’t he just move on? Why couldn’t his smiles be real? There were so many questions and Sora desperately wanted answers. He wanted to be alright like everyone else. He wanted to enjoy the time he had, free from world-saving adventures and evil machinations. Everything was alright now. Everyone was safe, _saved_ , and _he’d_ done that. He’d taken it upon himself to bring everyone home and they _were_ , so _**smile!**_

Sora could feel hands grasping at his throat, claws sinking into his skin. He choked, helpless against the throes of death. Desperate blue eyes snapped open and locked onto that beam of hope that seemed to be rapidly approaching. Beyond that, the worlds of the universe sparkled. They drew farther and farther away, nearly sinking into emptiness, but an even greater darkness awaited him below.

Before the death and danger became too great, Sora hurriedly grasped onto a single, hopeful thought. He flew unsteadily, but he managed to steer himself toward the clocktower using low-powered gusts of aero.

Sora stumbled onto the concrete and leaned against one of the stone pillars. He was breathing heavily. There was sweat on the back of his neck and a low, thrumming dread that shook his hands and fingertips. He heard his name on the wind and turned to see the golden form of Roxas flying toward him.

Quickly, Sora rubbed at his eyes, clearing away tears and the frustration he let seep through. He composed himself in the few seconds he was given. When Roxas landed on the concrete beside him, full of worry and confusion, Sora liked to think he looked as normal as he could after falling out of the sky.

Hesitantly, Roxas reached out, fingertips lightly ghosting against Sora's bicep, but the touch didn't land. There was restraint in his demeanor, in the way his expression was curbed from frantic panic to reserved concern. He fisted his hands at his side. "Sora," he said, a tremble in his voice. "Wh—what happened?"

The words came easily. “Uh—I needed a break,” Sora answered, a poor attempt at deception. He took a few steps back, putting some distance between them and getting away from the ledge. He forced himself to smile, hoping his lips stayed lifted long enough to fool. “S-sorry, I know you were having fun.”

“I always have fun when I’m with you,” Roxas told him.

His words were a blade through Sora’s heart. If he’d kept it together for another hour or so, everything would’ve been fine, but he’d gotten so hung up on the past that he’d lost sight of the present. Even if it was short-lived... Roxas’ smile was worth cherishing. After everything, it was worth _protecting_.

Sora shakily grabbed hold of his resolve, horribly battle worn, but still miraculously intact. He still needed to protect the people he cared about. It didn’t matter how dejected and awful he felt; there would be another battle, and he would uphold that truth. He’d grin and bear it and fight and _win_ and do it all over again when the time came.

Sora took a breath and calmly released it. “I feel the same about you.”

Roxas went quiet, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Sora. He didn’t move from his spot on the ledge. “Then what happened?”

Sora wrapped his arms around himself to ease the chill. “Roxas...”

“I know there’s something going on,” Roxas told him. He didn’t look angry, but there was some discomfort there, something keeping him where he was, still and showered with light.

“How do you know that?”

“Your eyes and your smile,” Roxas answered without delay. “I can tell there’s something bothering you.”

Sora had thought… He’d thought he’d been doing a good enough job, but Roxas saw through him so clearly. He shook his head in disbelief, his hands shaking as he ran them through his hair.

Roxas shifted, and Sora’s eyes darted to him. He seemed unsure of what to say. He kept opening his mouth and closing it, his hands were stuck at his sides. His brow furrowed, turning his entire expression empathetic. “Talk to me, Sora.”

“There’s nothing…” Sora ran his hands down his arms, holding himself close, looking off to the side, away from Roxas and away from confrontation. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

But Roxas didn’t back down, he never did. He took a cautious step closer to Sora. “Are you sure?”

The points of Sora’s already fragile smile splintered. He sidestepped Roxas and moved to the right, leaning against the pillar there and turning his gaze outward. The small lights that dotted the city drew his eye to the skyline and he focused on it. “It’s a nice night, huh?”

Deflection was the only thing Sora could think to do. If he lashed out, Roxas would unwittingly be the receiver of his frustrations. He didn’t want to ask him to talk about it later; he didn’t want to talk about it _at all_ , but being so final with his friends wasn’t something he was used to.

 _Read the mood_ , Sora thought, his smile losing its heart. _Drop it, please_.

Roxas sighed and it sounded so disappointed. Sora tried not to take it to heart.

They went quiet, both of them trapped in their own thoughts. Sora appreciated the lull in conversation and the sweet breezes that passed by to relieve his headache. There weren’t any other sounds this high above the world. It was just the two of them and the wind as they observed the world below.

The silence was broken by Roxas taking a breath and speaking lowly on the exhale. “You can feel it too, can’t you?”

“Feel what?”

“That something’s coming.”

Sora’s smile stayed in place, his eyes filled with false light. “There’ll always be something coming, Roxas. It’s only a matter of when.” He could feel Roxas’ shocked gaze on him, but Sora didn’t look back or acknowledge it in any manner. Sora didn’t like to talk about it. He often downplayed the possibility with jokes or talk of jinxes, but that didn’t change the fact that it was coming and that it’d possibly already _arrived._

The words sounded wrong coming from him. Pessimism and apathy weren’t qualities he’d normally apply to himself, but he was _tired_. He knew the patterns of danger by now, knew what to look out for, what to feel. Sora decided to be honest with himself, to leave the pieces of his smile on the floor for the time being and let his aggravation show. With his present company, how could he not? Roxas valued honesty, didn’t he?

To his left, Roxas leaned back against the pillar next to Sora’s. With his arms crossed and his eyes looking downward, he appeared pensive as he spoke. “Sora, when that time comes... I want you to know that you don't have to fight.”

Surprised by Roxas’ words, Sora took in a quick breath that turned into a subdued laugh. What a nice offer to give, but Sora knew that it wasn’t possible. Aside from Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, _he_ had the most battle experience out of all of them. Who knew better how to stop World ending catastrophes than him, the hero who’d thwarted three? He knew that he hadn’t done it alone, but the fact remained he’d played a pivotal role in all of them.

Connections were powerful. They were able to overcome so many things: separation, possession, corruption, death. Sora knew this better than any of them. He’d traveled through so many hearts and understood their complexities better than Ansem himself. Battles were won with the power of the heart, and everyone loved to tell Sora that his was the strongest of them all.

How, then, could he sit on the sidelines?

“I appreciate it,” Sora said, and meant it, “but we both know deep down that’s impossible.”

Roxas pushed away from the pillar with a furrowed brow. “Listen, Sora—”

“I’ll handle it,” he interrupted, raising his voice. “When it comes, I’ll take care of it.” He couldn’t joyfully charge into battle, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t at all.

“You’re _not_ handling this alone,” Roxas contended. He looked almost furious as he stared at Sora with misdirected aggression. ”We’ll fight with—!”

“I don’t _want_ anyone else to be lost!” Sora shouted, turning round to face Roxas with a scowl. “I don’t want anyone else to die or be torn apart or have their hearts stolen! I don’t want to see that again. I don’t want to _see it!”_

Roxas was frozen in place, his hand up and reaching toward him but stuck, suspended in the air. His eyes were impossibly wide. “Sora…”

But it was too late to stop. The memories came back to Sora in rough flashes. Dirt and sand, the sound of metal, the harsh sunlight. The tidal wave of Heartless and Nobodies that rushed toward them. Sora balled his hands into fists, staring down at his sneakers as he tried to push those images away.

“Of course I don’t want to fight! I’m _tired_ , but I’ve accepted this destiny that I never asked for,” he lamented. How… How did a dream to sail away on a simple raft lead to _this?_ Had it really all been planned? Every part of it?

Sora gritted his teeth in anger. “Everyone keeps telling me I’m the key, that I’m important, but I’m _no one_. My whole part in this was accidental. I’m not a Keyblade Master, I’m not some—some super powerful being like you or—or some apprentice!” Sora’s head snapped up, glaring at Roxas though none of this was his fault. “I’m someone who wanted to go on a raft with his two best friends and got sucked into an adventure I wasn’t and would _never_ be ready for.”

Sora was bitter. He was hurt. He was trying his best, but his best wasn’t enough each and every time. “I’ve been hurt and I’ve sacrificed so much. I’ve felt your pain, felt Xion’s, and Ven’s and Aqua’s! I’ve seen the people important to me be killed, their hearts taken by darkness! I saw _Riku—!”_ Sora choked back a sob, stepping back from the pillar, from Roxas, from the moon and stars to cover his eyes and retreat. He couldn’t think about that moment. When darkness had clashed against light, Riku stood strong against it, protecting Sora from it all. Riku had sacrificed himself for him, and all Sora had to offer in return were lingering glances and hopefully reassuring smiles.

Sora saw all of them in their final moments. He saw them face the darkness with nothing but fear in their hearts. He clutched at his throat. He tugged at his tank top. He could see it so clearly. He was there again, in the Keyblade Graveyard, watching as darkness won. “They died… One by one, they _died_. I _watched_ them die. All of my friends were swallowed by darkness, and I just—I just _watched!”_

Sora felt Roxas step closer, but he couldn’t open his eyes to look at him. His tears were flowing now, wetting Sora’s fingers, spilling down his chin to dot the ground below. “I let the people closest to me die and I did nothing. I encouraged all of them and I thought… I _believed…!”_

Shakingly, Sora tore his right hand away from his throat and hit the wall behind him with his fist. But his frustration with himself was gone just as quickly as it came. “But then everyone… Everyone was gone, and I was _alone!”_

“You  _ weren’t _ alone!” Roxas shouted suddenly, voice echoing into the night. He walked up to Sora and grabbed his hands in a desperate grip. “I was there  _ with you!” _

The world fell away. The clocktower, the chilly wind, the glittering stars, everything. Sora was stunned into silence as he stared into Roxas’ anguished eyes. Tears prepared for their fall, so close to the edge but hesitation kept them in their place. Fear, reluctance, heartache. In his chest, Sora’s heartbeat quickened.

“That world with the ocean and the sky? I _saw_ it!” Roxas told him, both hands gripping Sora’s own now. Holding on so tightly that Sora could vaguely feel pain. But it was nothing compared to the hurt in Roxas’ voice. “I saw you put yourself back together again. I _saw_ you talking to Naminé!”

Sora forced himself to take a breath. “Roxas…”

“I watched everyone die, just like you,” he choked out as the tears finally came. Guilt clawed at Sora’s conscience. He didn’t want to be responsible for Roxas’ tears. He didn’t want to see him cry anymore, and yet he was. Sora gritted his teeth, clenched his free hand into a fist, did nothing as another weight of sadness and failure fell onto his shoulders.

Roxas helplessly gripped his hand, fingers trying to intertwine but stopping. He fiddled with them as he trembled, as the sobs he was holding back racked his body. “I saw you bring them back. I felt your determination, your grief, your _fear_. I wasn’t by your side, but I was in your heart and I _saw it all_.”

Sora didn’t have the same hesitance that Roxas did, that unknown force that prevented him from acting on what he felt, from doing what he wanted. Sora’s hand wasn’t enough; obviously it wasn’t. Roxas kept grasping for more but he couldn’t take it. Afraid of something. Sora’s scorn? His rejection? _Never_. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Roxas’ shoulders. He held him as tears fell down his own face.

Roxas returned the embrace ten-fold. He hugged Sora so securely, encased him in an aura of protectiveness and love. Sora cried into his shoulder, dragged his fingers down his back. Roxas knew how he felt, knew the overwhelming fear that kept him from doing anything to save Riku as he stood before him against the forces of darkness. He knew about the confusion and anxiety that came from being so close to death. He knew about the demon tide and how Sora would _never_ forget the way it whisked away the people he treasured so dearly.

 _I wasn’t alone_ , Sora thought, soaking Roxas’ shirt through as the tears came endlessly. _Roxas was with me_.

“I’m always with you,” Roxas croaked, and despite the tears he shed, his voice sounded so confident, so strong and unflinchingly fearless. “You’re never alone, Sora. _Never_.”

There was always a connection, a thread to follow back, a light to seek in the deepest darkness. How could he forget that? One of the first lessons he’d learned while being caught up in the business of keyblades and worlds. But it’d been such a long journey and some things had been lost. Some words had been left unsaid. Some questions were still unanswered and there was pain in Sora’s heart that had been left unattended, pushed aside to deal with later.

It came bursting forth in each tear he shed. Every bit of stress and heartache, every challenge and trial, all the unwanted catches of being a hero. All the hurt that they left out of the storybooks and legends. They poured out onto Roxas’ shoulder and Roxas bore them all. He pulled Sora closer and said nothing as the floodgates opened.

The world they inherited was born in blood and sacrifice. They were children, given the ultimate task and burden of watching over millions of worlds while still not understanding the deeper meanings in life. The people they were supposed to look up to and trust deceived them. At one time, there were hundreds, _thousands_ of keyblade wielders, sent to fight a battle that led to the broken World of Sora’s time, isolated and unknowing of the larger parts of it.

Their masters and forebears had failed, and so it was up to _them_ , the hurt and broken heroes to create a World worth protecting. It was up to _them_ to ensure that no more battles were fought in vain. It was up to them to carefully nurture each heart with love and kindness instead of manipulation and lies.

One burden after another, and did the rest of them even see it? Did they know where this road led? To be a keyblade wielder was to safeguard the future, and what a tremendous undertaking it would be considering what they’d been given to work with.

Sora’s heart was already heavy. He was bone tired. _Four_ adventures so close to one another, and he didn’t have the strength to go on another one. But the light in his heart that made him worthy of wielding the blade never flickered. No matter the denial and reluctance, he knew that eventually, he’d be called to play a large part in the world they ended up creating. They all would.

Sora clutched Roxas as if he was an anchor, a lifeline that could keep the approaching danger at bay. As he grappled with the reality that some of them wouldn’t make it, and that some of them would be forever changed or forever lost, Sora clutched Roxas’ back with hands too rough for the gentle hero he was supposed to be. It was too optimistic to believe that everyone would be safe. Sora had seen firsthand the consequences for cheating death; he didn’t want anyone else to.

He yearned...for peace. With all his heart, that’s what he wanted. A peace that _lasted_.

Roxas took in a shuddering breath, his left hand cradling the back of Sora’s head. “Sora,” he whispered, “will you give me your burden?”

The selfless request had Sora gritting his teeth as another wave of tears and sadness washed over him. Roxas didn’t deserve to shoulder everything. He’d finally gotten what he wanted since the beginning; a life with friends and stability. The ability to create his own memories and be himself without any other identities attached. He was able to _be_ Roxas, to learn more, to experience more, to grow and change in his own unique way. Sora didn’t want him to forsake that. He didn’t want to take any of that away. Roxas had fought so hard, he’d given up so much. He’d carved out his own existence through force of will alone.

Sora shook his head, closing his eyes as more tears fell. “Roxas, you know I can’t do that.”

Roxas huffed out a laugh. It seemed as though he’d expected that answer. “Then will you share it with me, at least?”

Opening his eyes, Sora saw nothing but blurry darkness. He didn’t want to saddle the responsibility with anyone else. When he thought of Riku and the many times he’d come to save him, the many things he’d sacrificed, the many times he’d gotten hurt, Sora’s heart burned with remorse. To have that responsibility shared with Roxas or anyone else was almost too heavy a thought for Sora to stomach. To see people get hurt in front of him again and again… An angry refusal was at the tip of his tongue. He’d rather do it _himself_ , didn’t Roxas understand? Despite his humble beginnings and origin, he somehow always found a way to fix things. His strength of heart was unparalleled, and so there was no better person to brave the dangers of the universe.

But Roxas held him tighter in that moment. He held him as if afraid to let him go. Sora was grasping back just as strongly, and a thought occurred to him then, one that should’ve came to him long ago.

Weren’t _they_ just as tired of seeing Sora disappear or die? Not knowing where he was or if he’d return?

Sora’s eyes widened, tears flowing as the realization came to him in a gentle breath of light. Out of the corner of his eye, he swore he saw something—a feather or leaf of pure white—but it faded away before Sora could discern exactly what it was. He felt something in his heart, a gentle kind of forgiveness that previously hadn’t been there.

Riku wasn’t the only one that’d sacrificed. Kairi wasn’t the only one that’d faded away. Roxas wasn’t the only one who’d watched a friend die. Sora had done all of those things and more, and in turn, had caused his friends and companions heartache of their own.

When he and Riku had returned that night on the beach, out of breath and hollow, the look of alleviation on Riku’s face had made Sora freeze. The way Riku took his hand and held it so fiercely as he led the way down the shore stuck with Sora even now.

Riku had been glad to have him back, they _all_ had been glad that they’d returned safe and sound. In Sora’s heart, he knew that he’d return to them in some way or form, but _they_ hadn’t been sure of that. Their reactions alone proved that. The tears that were shed, the hugs that didn’t seem to have an end, the relief and the joy.

Sora was cherished. He was loved. With that love, he could overcome the impossible. With his heart and the ones connected with it, he could rise to the occasion each and every time. His friends _were_ his power, and he was theirs.

Sora sighed deeply, easing the hold he had on Roxas. He took a few calming breaths and on the exhale of the fifth, he nodded gently. “Okay.”

Roxas’ hold loosened but it wasn’t any less tender. The wind died down to a gentle nudge. Time kept moving forward. They were still here. Under the dark of night, overlooking the city in a place they weren’t meant to be, they were still here.

Slowly, Roxas pulled back. He moved his hands to Sora’s shoulders, and then, once getting a good look at him, wiped away the tears that were content to stay in the corner of Sora’s eyes. “Hey,” he said, and his smile was kind. “The night’s not over yet. There’s still plenty we haven’t seen.”

Sora couldn’t bring himself to smile. He felt better, but the reality of where they were and why settled within him and he was disappointed in himself for ruining what could’ve been a great night. “Roxas, I… I can’t fly.”

Roxas’ moved his hands down to hold Sora’s own, grasping them firmly. “Then don’t,” he said. He began to move toward the ledge, stepping backwards to keep his eyes on Sora. “Let me guide you this time.”

Before Sora could protest, Roxas moved his right foot back into the open air and then his left followed. He floated, dust gliding down his person and mixing with the wind. Sora imagined he looked pretty doubtful. He couldn’t hold on to a thought long enough to gauge if it would work. Even if it did, it wouldn’t last. It was too late to go flying. Too much had happened. He was an emotional wreck, a broken hero in distress, a teenager in disarray, and for some reason, Roxas believed he could _fly_ after crying his heart out and getting snot all over his nice shirt.

“Roxas—”

“You’ll be fine,” Roxas assured him, and from his fingertips came a soothing swirl of light. It engulfed Sora gradually until it encompassed him entirely. It was warm, strong, and gentle, and with it, Sora’s feet lifted from the concrete. Roxas chuckled at his surprised expression and lightly pulled on Sora’s hands, dragging him out from under the shade and into the night. “I’m with you.”

It was Sora’s turn to hold on tightly to Roxas’ hands as he looked from the concrete up into Roxas’ eyes. He wasn’t flying from the dust, but from Roxas’ own light letting him glide gently. Light had the power of healing, swiftness, fire, and destruction. It could be harsh and unforgiving, or soft and caressing. Roxas’ light kept him safe and the fear of falling evaporated from Sora’s mind as they ascended higher together.

Roxas tore his gaze from Sora and looked up at the sky, steering them away from the clocktower. They passed by the large clock face and Sora noticed the time. It’d gone by so quickly. He’d hardly noticed, as frustrated and downtrodden as he’d been.

“I hope you know you can talk to me about anything, Sora,” Roxas said, his voice raised slightly to be heard over the wind.

They flew higher, tears pricking at the corner of Sora’s eyes. He couldn’t think of words to say to that, so he kept quiet as they reached the clouds.

“Not just me, either,” Roxas continued, unbothered by Sora’s lack of response. “There are other people who care about you and want to hear what you have to say.”

Sora squeezed Roxas’ hands. He was lucky, he knew that. It was hard to admit after so long. The thought of being open and honest about his feelings scared him. Was he allowed to show those emotions? Was he allowed to complain or get angry? Was he allowed to decline invitations or pleas? Was he allowed to be _anything_ other than the happy, optimistic leader that everyone took him for? Was he allowed to break that mold?

 _Could_ he?

He was afraid. What if people didn’t like it? What if things changed in a way that he could’ve avoided by doing the same thing he’d done for years?

But he’d pushed himself to a breaking point. He’d faked and pretended and smiled solely for the benefit of others. Maybe it was time for a change. He couldn’t advise others to talk to him and be open when Sora couldn’t do the same.

Hesitantly, Sora spoke, “I know…”

The city was partially hidden behind them. The moon welcomed them back. The stars twinkled in greeting. Roxas looked down at him and they came to a stop just above the clouds. “I’ll do the same,” Roxas told him, his smile a little apologetic, but Sora wasn’t sure why. “We shouldn’t try to carry so much on our own, huh?”

Sora blinked, the wind drying out his eyes, but he couldn’t look away from Roxas’ face. He nodded solemnly, his lips downturned into a small frown. “No…we shouldn’t.”

Roxas squeezed his hands suddenly and pulled him closer. “Are you ready?”

Again, Sora blinked. With a tilt of his head, he asked, “for what?”

“To freefall!” Roxas answered, and he looked so excited about it. Already, his grip on Sora’s hands was going slack. His smile looked teaseful now. Amused.

“W-wait,” Sora began, chasing Roxas’ fingertips, looking down at his body to make sure the light was still there. He’d fallen out of the sky _once_ already tonight, and now Roxas wanted to do it again? “Rox—Why are we—?”

But it was too late. Roxas didn’t let go of his hands entirely, but he lessened the amount of light that covered Sora. With a quiet intake of breath, he started to fall, but Roxas was falling right below him. He himself was surrounded by light, but Sora still saw dust motes in the air. _Together_ , they fell, breathing lighter, colder air. Sora was afraid for a second, but then the sound of Roxas’ rich laughter reached his ears. He looked so happy, his eyes barely open as the wind pushed at his back and swept through his hair. With an exuberant smile, Roxas guided their descent. That sense of danger, the helplessness, the lack of control was completely gone this time.

This time… Roxas had him in his grasp. This time, there was no fear of what awaited him below. Roxas wouldn’t let him fall that far.

The wind pulled at Sora’s cheeks. The dust gathered in his hair. The clocktower chimed to their left as they fell and fell. Roxas kept laughing, kept _smiling_ as their velocity stayed within a safe range.

Sora felt himself start to smile. Roxas’ laughter was pleasantly infectious and Sora couldn’t help snorting, a chuckle bubbling up from his throat. It didn’t stop there. It wasn’t a one-off laugh that ended as abruptly as it started. It continued, just as Roxas’ did. When Sora closed his eyes and let go of his worries, when he enjoyed the feeling of the wind, when the thrill of falling reached his heart, it _was_ fun. He knew he was safe. He knew he wasn’t alone.

He was okay. It would be alright.

Roxas reached up as they fell from the top of the sky. Past clouds and spires and chimneys. Through broken dreams and responsibilities and failure. He reached up and his fingers gently touched Sora’s cheeks.

Sora opened his eyes to look at him, stifling his laughter as he regarded Roxas’ countenance, serene among the air and golden motes surrounding them. Sora was enchanted by it. Roxas’ slightly furrowed eyebrows, his smile tinged with hints of sadness. The gold of sunset bestowed a gaze of understanding and appreciation upon Sora.

“ _There_ it is,” Roxas spoke, his voice carrying on the wind. His fingers touched Sora’s lips delicately, afraid to injure or annoy. He laughed deeply and beautifully. “Your smile lights up the sky, Sora.”

Sora’s heart thumped in his chest, pounding against his ribcage. It was heavy with years of emotions and hurt, but that smile and those words imparted _spirit_ into his very essence. He felt invigorated. His smile grew wider. He laughed so easily, it fell from his lips like it used to, an uplifting song. He reached up to take Roxas’ hands in his own and he intertwined them, placing their hands together so gracefully. He felt the dust on his fingers and saw the surprise in Roxas’ eyes.

With his whole heart, Sora smiled. With every hopeful and happy emotion he felt. His smile was rare but true as they stopped falling and started floating.

Sora felt a light upon his back.

Dawn had arrived.

“You don’t have to walk me back.”

“I want to.”

Roxas didn’t stop him from following him down the ramp and onto the dead grass. The storm clouds that had populated the sky were thinning, sunlight peeking through the clouds and making the tree tops glow. Lightning still graced the sky, less frequent and more of an odd surprise if one was to glance up. The smell of rain was leaving the air. The world felt more awake, _alive_ , resurfacing after a long time underwater.

Sora supposed that was the perfect way to put it. It was righting itself, little by little, though he didn’t know how.

They walked down the path side by side. They didn’t talk or mess around with one another, but the silence was comfortable and there wasn’t a pressure to speak. They walked with their hands in their pockets, content with the sounds of the forest and the warmth of the sun.

Strangely, Sora didn’t feel embarrassed about what had transpired. When he let out his frustrations and pain, he hadn’t been met with surprise or pity, he’d been given understanding and compassion. It was nice to have that, to be _given_ that. He looked over at Roxas as they walked and saw a spark in his eye, a pleasantness in his expression that wasn’t discouraging. Maybe that talk had helped him just as much as it had Sora.

The path to the mansion always seemed to be shorter when he was about to leave compared to when he arrived. They stood in front of the back door, hiding out under the awning. Sora kept his hands in his pockets, unsure of how to start.

Luckily, he didn’t have to.

“Thanks for the hang out,” Roxas told him, smiling easily. There was still dust in his hair and on his shirt. It would never leave. After one thorough sprinkling from Tinkerbell, Sora was set for life.

Sora nodded. His smile kept coming and going, happy that their time together had been somewhat saved. “You’re welcome,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Anytime. Really.”

“Yeah.”

The breeze no longer smelt like rain. It smelled like it used to, like it _should_. The world around them corrected itself in slow and amazing ways and Sora was slightly distracted by it. But he didn’t miss the downbeat look that crossed Roxas’ face that always seemed to pop up when they parted.

Sora opened his mouth but then paused, thinking a bit more before continuing. “Hey, Roxas.”

“Hm?”

Now the nervousness came, showing up late to the party and making Sora doubt what he normally wouldn’t give much thought to. But Roxas had done so much for him tonight. He’d been a great friend when Sora was supposed to be showing _him_ a great time. He’d helped him more than he’d ever know.

Sora took his hands out of his pockets and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Roxas in a tight, warm hug. He hoped that it gave the same sense of comfort that Roxas had given him. He hoped that it was grateful and secure and reassuring. He squeezed Roxas around his midsection, and the smell of oranges and winter winds came with each inhale.

Not even a second later, Roxas hugged him back.

Roxas so _readily_ gave comfort and affection. It nearly drove Sora to tears again. But he’d cried so much. He’d shared so much. The only feeling left in his heart after pouring it out was gratitude.

 _“Thank you,”_ Sora whispered, his lips trembling. His eyes were closed tight. He pinched the fabric of Roxas’ shirt between his fingers. He wanted to say more, he had _much_ more to say, but the words were caught in his throat.

Roxas lightly patted his back. “I should be the one saying that,” he said softly. With one final squeeze that nearly forced the air out of Sora’s lungs, Roxas pulled away again. He’d been doing that a lot lately, ending their hugs early. Sora stepped back as well, reaching up with a hand to wipe at his eyes.

Roxas pulled his hands away too. He withdrew himself, returning his hands to his side as he stared at Sora fondly. But his smile was still kind and caring. “Remember what I said,” he told Sora gently.

With a sniff, Sora lowered his hand and smiled. It wasn’t that significant compared to before, but it wasn’t fake. “I will.”

“You know who you should talk to first, don’t you?” Roxas asked, a single brow raised. He had this _look_ on his face. He looked two seconds away from flicking Sora on the forehead.

When Sora took too long to respond, Roxas moved forward and did exactly that.

Sora waved him off, backstepping away from Roxas and his nose flicks. “Yeah,” he said, laughing lightly. “I know.”

They waved goodbye as the last of the thunderclouds disintegrated into nothing. Roxas watched him the entire walk back, that same smile on his face. The sunlight fell upon the gummiship, illuminating its vibrant colors and odd shapes. Sora stepped on the ramp and felt the rumble of the engine under his feet.

Beyond them, beyond _everyone_ , there was a world of shifting skies and settled seas. It was a world that was meant to be kept secret. A place that existed across time, connecting hearts and souls alike. Sora wondered if every wielder visited there in their dreams. If they fought the same darkness and saw the same reflections that he did. He wondered if it eased their fear.

But even then, in that final, transcendent world, there were weeping stars to greet, there were wishes and dreams among the ripples in the water, there was hope in the afternoon sky.

 _Hope_. There was always hope, wasn’t there?

Sora didn’t feel completely healed, but he felt… He felt ready to _talk_ about it, which was an important first step to take. He had a limited pool of people to confide in, but the fact that he had people at _all_ was reliving in and of itself. Holding everything in, doing it all himself—he didn’t need to do that anymore. He never _should_ have done that.

The feelings that he had, no matter how deep they were buried, they were a part of him. They didn’t need to be forgotten or brushed aside. Sora wanted to talk about them, not only for himself, but for the other people involved. Hoping it stayed buried and dead did nothing but help it fester. He needed to bring it to light.

Sora’s heart wasn’t full of dread as he boarded the airship. His hand didn’t tremble as he held his keyblade out and created a portal after thinking of thoughts of home. He smiled when he thought of silver hair and deep lavender eyes. They were safe, everyone was. He would _treasure_ that, and when danger came, they’d face it side by side, stronger together than they ever could be alone.

He had a full gauge all the way home.

**Author's Note:**

> Ah. Ten more to go.
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/AspectedMalefic)


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